Peripheral device usable without installing driver in computer beforehand

Abstract

The storage unit of a peripheral device has a first storage area and a second storage area. The first storage area stores a plurality of control programs corresponding to a plurality of operating systems of different types. The second storage area is a storage area which is recognized by an information processing apparatus as an external storage device and in which at least one control program is replicated from the first storage area. The information processing apparatus reads out the control program from the second storage recognized by it as the external storage device, and executes the program. The information processing apparatus thus controls the peripheral device.

1. A peripheral device comprising:
 a connection unit connected to an information processing apparatus; 
 a processing unit which executes predetermined processing based on a control signal from the information processing apparatus; 
 a communication unit which communicates with the information processing apparatus via said connection unit; and 
 a storage unit having a plurality of storage areas, 
 said storage unit including: 
 a first storage area which stores a plurality of control programs corresponding to a plurality of operating systems of different types for information processing apparatuses; 
 a second storage area which is recognized by the information processing apparatus as an external storage device and in which at least one control program is replicated from the first storage area; 
 a control unit which controls to cause the information processing apparatus to recognize the second storage area as the external storage device; and 
 a connection detection unit which detects that said connection unit is connected to the information processing apparatus, 
 wherein the peripheral device is controlled by the information processing apparatus which reads out the control program from the second storage area recognized by the information processing apparatus as the external storage device and executes the control program, and 
 when said connection detection unit detects that said connection unit is connected to the information processing apparatus, said control unit controls to replicate at least one of the control programs from the first storage area to the second storage area. 
 
     
     
       2. The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an image reading unit which functions as said processing unit; and 
 a reading control unit which controls said image reading unit, 
 said reading control unit controlling to sequentially write image data read by said image reading unit in the second storage area. 
 
     
     
       3. The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an image forming unit which functions as said processing unit; and 
 an image formation control unit which controls said image forming unit, 
 said image formation control unit reading out data of an image formation job written in said storage unit by the information processing apparatus and transferring the data to said image forming unit so as to cause said image forming unit to execute image formation processing. 
 
     
     
       4. A peripheral device comprising:
 a connection unit connected to an information processing apparatus; 
 a processing unit which executes predetermined processing based on a control signal from the information processing apparatus; 
 a communication unit which communicates with the information processing apparatus via said connection unit; and 
 a storage unit having a plurality of storage areas, said storage unit including: 
 a first storage area which stores a plurality of control programs corresponding to a plurality of operating systems of different types for information processing apparatuses; 
 a second storage area which is recognized by the information processing apparatus as an external storage device and in which at least one control program is replicated from the first storage area; and 
 a control unit which controls to cause the information processing apparatus to recognize the second storage area as the external storage device, wherein 
 the peripheral device is controlled by the information processing apparatus which reads out the control program from the second storage area recognized by the information processing apparatus as the external storage device and executes the control program, 
 the first storage area stores a disk image of a common and single file system accessible by at least two of the plurality of operating systems, and 
 said control unit rasterizes the disk image on the second storage area. 
 
     
     
       5. The device according to  claim 4 , wherein the disk image includes a control file in which the information processing apparatus can write a control command configured to control said processing unit. 
     
     
       6. The device according to  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a monitoring unit which monitors whether the information processing apparatus has written the control command in the control file rasterized on the second storage area; and 
 an execution unit which, when the control command is written in the control file, reads out and executes the control command. 
 
     
     
       7. The device according to  claim 4 , wherein
 a FAT file system is rasterized on the second storage area, and 
 the FAT file system stores a control program for Microsoft Windows® and a control program for MacOS®. 
 
     
     
       8. The device according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 an image reading unit which functions as said processing unit; and 
 a reading control unit which controls said image reading unit, 
 said reading control unit controlling to sequentially write image data read by said image reading unit in the second storage area. 
 
     
     
       9. The device according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 an image forming unit which functions as said processing unit; and 
 an image formation control unit which controls said image forming unit, 
 said image formation control unit reading out data of an image formation job written in said storage unit by the information processing apparatus and transferring the data to said image forming unit so as to cause said information unit to execute image formation processing. 
 
     
     
       10. A peripheral device comprising:
 a connection unit connected to an information processing apparatus; 
 a processing unit which executes predetermined processing based on a control signal from the information processing apparatus; 
 a communication unit which communicates with the information processing apparatus via said connection unit; and 
 a storage unit having a plurality of storage areas, 
 said storage unit including: 
 a first storage area which stores a plurality of control programs corresponding to a plurality of operating systems of different types for information processing apparatuses; 
 a second storage area which is recognized by the information processing apparatus as an external storage device and in which at least one control program is replicated from the first storage area and 
 a control unit which controls to cause the information processing apparatus to recognize the second storage area as the external storage device, wherein 
 the peripheral device is controlled by the information processing apparatus which reads out the control program from the second storage area recognized by the information processing apparatus as the external storage device and executes the control program, 
 the first storage area stores disk images of a plurality of file systems corresponding to the plurality of operating systems, respectively, and 
 said control unit rasterizes, on the second storage area, the disk image corresponding to the operating system running on the information processing apparatus. 
 
     
     
       11. The device according to  claim 10 , further comprising a system switching unit which switches the file system in the second storage area in accordance with the operating system of the information processing apparatus connected to said connection unit,
 wherein said control unit causes the information processing apparatus to recognize the file system switched by said system switching unit as the external storage device. 
 
     
     
       12. The device according to  claim 11 , wherein said system switching unit is operable by an operator. 
     
     
       13. The device according to  claim 10 , wherein said control unit comprises a discrimination unit which discriminates the type of operating system running on the information processing apparatus, and based on a discrimination result of said discrimination unit, rasterizes the disk image corresponding to the operating system running on the information processing apparatus from the first storage area to the second storage area. 
     
     
       14. The device according to  claim 13 , wherein said discrimination unit discriminates the type of operating system running on the information processing apparatus in accordance with Java® Script replicated from the first storage area to the second storage area. 
     
     
       15. The device according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the second storage area includes 
 a first partition, and 
 a second partition, 
 the first partition storing a file system of FAT, and 
 the second partition storing a file system of HFS. 
 
     
     
       16. The device according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 an image reading unit which functions as said processing unit; and 
 a reading control unit which controls said image reading unit, 
 said reading control unit controlling to sequentially write image data read by said image reading unit in the second storage area. 
 
     
     
       17. The device according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 an image forming unit which functions as said processing unit; and 
 an image formation control unit which controls said image forming unit, 
 said image formation control unit reading out data of an image formation job written in said storage unit by the information processing apparatus and transferring the data to said image forming unit so as to cause said image forming unit to execute image formation processing. 
 
     
     
       18. An information processing system comprising an information processing apparatus and a peripheral device connected to said information processing apparatus,
 said peripheral device comprising a connection unit connected to said information processing apparatus, a processing unit which executes predetermined processing based on a control signal from said information processing apparatus, a communication unit which communicates with said information processing apparatus via said connection unit, and a storage unit having a plurality of storage areas, and 
 said storage unit including a first storage area which stores a plurality of control programs corresponding to a plurality of operating systems of different types for information processing apparatuses, and a second storage area which is recognized by said information processing apparatus as an external storage device and in which at least one control program is replicated from the first storage area, 
 said peripheral device further comprising a control unit which controls to cause the information processing apparatus to recognize the second storage area as the external storage device and a connection detection unit which detects that said connection unit is connected to the information processing apparatus, 
 wherein said information processing apparatus reads out the control program from the second storage area recognized as the external storage device and executes the control program, thereby controlling said peripheral device, and 
 when said connection detection unit detects that said connection unit is connected to the information processing apparatus, said control unit controls to replicate at least one of the control programs from the first storage area to the second storage area. 
 
     
     
       19. An information processing system comprising an information processing apparatus and a peripheral device connected to said information processing apparatus,
 said peripheral device comprising a connection unit connected to said information processing apparatus, a processing unit which executes predetermined processing based on a control signal from said information processing apparatus, a communication unit which communicates with said information processing apparatus via said connection unit, and a storage unit having a plurality of storage areas, and 
 said storage unit including a first storage area which stores a plurality of control programs corresponding to a plurality of operating systems of different types for information processing apparatuses, and a second storage area which is recognized by said information processing apparatus as an external storage device and in which at least one control program is replicated from the first storage area, 
 said peripheral device further comprising a control unit which controls to cause the information processing apparatus to recognize the second storage area as the external storage device, 
 wherein said information processing apparatus reads out the control program from the second storage area recognized as the external storage device and executes the control program, thereby controlling said peripheral device, 
 the first storage area stores a disk image of a common and single file system accessible by at least two of the plurality of operating systems, and 
 said control unit rasterizes the disk image on the second storage area. 
 
     
     
       20. An information processing system comprising an information processing apparatus and a peripheral device connected to said information processing apparatus,
 said peripheral device comprising a connection unit connected to said information processing apparatus, a processing unit which executes predetermined processing based on a control signal from said information processing apparatus, a communication unit which communicates with said information processing apparatus via said connection unit, and a storage unit having a plurality of storage areas, and 
 said storage unit including a first storage area which stores a plurality of control programs corresponding to a plurality of operating systems of different types for information processing apparatuses, and a second storage area which is recognized by said information processing apparatus as an external storage device and in which at least one control program is replicated from the first storage area, 
 said peripheral device further comprising a control unit which controls to cause the information processing apparatus to recognize the second storage area as the external storage device, 
 wherein said information processing apparatus reads out the control program from the second storage area recognized as the external storage device and executes the control program, thereby controlling said peripheral device, 
 the first storage area stores disk images of a plurality of file systems corresponding to the plurality of operating systems, respectively, and 
 said control unit rasterizes, on the second storage area, the disk image corresponding to the operating system running on the information processing apparatus.